Episode Details

This episode features Wesam Cooley, a long-time activist for Palestine, discussing the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the broader implications for Canada amidst the 2025 election. Wesam shares his experiences with legal challenges and protests in Calgary, highlighting the systemic repression faced by Pro-Palestinian activists. The conversation also touches on the geopolitical dynamics involving the United States, China, and the Middle East, emphasizing the need for grassroots democratic movements and solidarity across various social justice causes. The episode underscores the importance of continued activism and community organizing to address global and local injustices.

Re-Introduction to Wesam and the Pro-Palestinian Leadership in Calgary

Jenny (00:05):

Welcome to the Gravity Well Podcast. I am your host, Jenny Yeremiy. Here you break down heavy ideas with me to understand their complexities and connections. Our mission is to work through dilemmas together in conversation and process us. I acknowledge that I live on the traditional territory of Treaty 7 and Metis districts 5 and 6. The treaties and self-governance agreements established by indigenous peoples were created to honour the laws of the land and maintain balance with nature by giving back and uphold reciprocal relationships. This knowledge and intention are what guide The Gravity Well conversation. I ask for genuine dialogue, real hearts, and openness to different perspectives. This is your invitation to find common ground with me.

This podcast is dedicated to the natural world, our children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and all future generations. The gravity well is on YouTube and streaming wherever you get your podcasts. Join us thegravitywall.net. Lovely to have you back, Wesam. Wesam joined me last June. We spoke with two others, Beau Shaw and Walaa Katoue, about the ongoing, now we can call it genocide in Gaza and the struggles and the leadership that you guys have both experienced and displayed in this. We’re going to expand on what’s been the story since then, and we’re going to talk about, we’re in the midst of the 2025 election, and Canada is on the line. It’s been clear that we have Canada’s at stake. There’s been suggestion of Canada being annexed by the United States, and so Palestine is still on the ballot as well.

We have not settled the genocide and ended or had a ceasefire, let’s say, in that area. And if anybody knows what’s at stake, it’s Wesam because he has been on the front lines in Calgary and has experienced some issues in terms of coming up against the law. I’m sure you could say it better than me. I’m going to stop there, and if you can just give everybody a reintroduction of yourself we saw and just outline where you’re at, just a highlight of how you see this conversation, what you’re bringing to it today. Thank you.

Wesam:

Sure. First, I’ll just say thanks so much for having me back on Jenny. It’s really important the mainstream media doesn’t talk about these issues the way that they need to be talked about, we rely on platforms like this really to get the word out to people. My name’s Wesam, I’ve been an activist on Palestine and other issues for about 15 years. I have a background in law. My training is in law. I’m a solicitor, foreign trained solicitor, most specialized in criminal defense, extradition defense, and sort of human rights related fields. And since the genocide in Gaza began in late 2023, I’ve been involved here in Calgary with organizing the regular protests against the genocide. And as you say, we’ve had quite a few run-ins with the oppressive state, which does not want us taking that kind of action to prevent Canada’s role in the genocide.

I was arrested first in November of 2023 for chanting the line from the river to the sea. Palestine will be free, which is a long stan